1. Field of the Invention
The present invention broadly relates to power sources having high power per volume and weight ratio and, more particularly, is concerned with a generator system and method for converting chemical/mechanical input of an explosive propellant-actuated permanent magnet linear generator into a high pulse power electrical output to provide such a power source.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Projected future Air Force missions of transatmospheric vehicles include the interdiction of a potential adversary's spaced-based assets. Such vehicles armed, for instance, with laser weapons or some other directed energy weapon will require power sources for these weapons. Because of well-known constraints imposed by aerospace vehicle design limitations, these power sources must have the highest power per volume and weight ratio technologically possible.
In the realm of conventional, non-nuclear power sources, chemical explosives represent the highest power available per volume and weight. For that reason, explosive propellants are used as the primary power source for launching rockets into space. Conceptually then, an explosive-driven electric pulse generator should be the best device to satisfy these requirements for a power source in space. However, there are many unsolved technologicical problems. This is evidenced by the fact that, in general, contemporary explosive-driven electric pulse generators do not survive a single event and hence are impractical for repetitive or continuous use.
Consequently, a need exists for an explosive-driven generator system which can operate in a repeatable manner to reliably produce a high power electrical pulse output.